Acupuncture for Runners

If you're an athlete, you may be interested in optimizing your performance.

Check out this article about acupuncture for marathon runners!

http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/diet_and_fitness/article6114595.ece

Pilates

After giving birth to my amazing daughter on Christmas day, I felt like a ball of dough. During pregnancy, my stomach muscles had softened in order to make room for the baby. What's more, I had forgone my usual work out routine for a walking regimen. This left me feeling pretty jiggly all over.

My solution: Pilates

It's been about a month since I began and I can really feel the difference. My abdominal muscles and tightened back up and my posture isn't half bad either. What's more, my low back feels really strong.

For me, pilates does more than address my physical well being. When my back is strong and my posture is great, I feel mentally prepared to face my daily obstacles. It doesn't hurt that I look a lot better in a pair of jeans either...

If you're looking for a great pilates instructor, make sure that they are addressing your weak or previously injured areas with care and checking your form along the way.

I love my instructor Wendy Oliver at Genuine Pilates in Charlotte. She's great with managing her clients individual bodies and I'm really getting results.

Check out http://www.genuinepilates.org/index.html to learn more.

Get Moving

It’s getting warm out there again and you have every reason to get outside and enjoy yourself. Becoming active in the springtime can be a challenge, especially after a few months of winter couch time. But Charlotte has plenty of beautiful nature trails and walking paths all around town. Check out this link to the Mecklenburg Co. Greenways and find a great place to walk or bike near your house:

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Park+and+Rec/Greenways/Home.htm

Asparagus

It’s springtime again and asparagus is making its debut on the vegetable scene once more. This densely nutritious food is chalk full of folic acid, potassium, fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6 and vitamins A and C. What’s more, asparagus has not cholesterol, no fat and low sodium.

This plant is a member of the Lily family and its spears grown upwards from a crown that is planted about a foot under the soil. Typically, the spears are not harvested until 3 years after a crown has been planted in order to ensure the growth of a strong root system.

When picking asparagus at your local market, keep in mind that the larger the diameter of the spears, the better the quality.

Around this time of year, we make asparagus our favorite side dish at the dinner table.

Roasting is a great way to prepare this dish and you can add a few other ingredients to the mix to make this the most quickly disappearing dish on the table.

We add a spoonful of Earth Balance natural spread and season the spears with salt and pepper before sticking them in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Around halfway through the roast, we roll the spears over in the pan and make sure they get an even coating of spread and seasoning. It’s easy and delicious!

Spring Cleaning

While you’re doing your Spring Cleaning this year, don’t forget to recycle garbage and donate any household items and clothing you no longer use.

Here is a link to the Mecklenburg County recycling drop off centers. Find one near you and make a trip or two.

http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/LUESA/Solid+Waste/Recycling+Drop+Off+Centers/Home.htm

To donate clothing and household items, make a trip to the nearest Goodwill, Salvation Army or Habitat for Humanity ReStore. Check out this link for more information:

http://charlotte.about.com/od/shoppingservices/tp/donating_goods.htm